CBD Oil for Acne Scars: Does it Work?

A lot of people suffer from scars and inflammation caused by acne which can drastically impair their social life. Image Credit: ARTFULLY PHOTOGRAPHER on Shutterstock

Your acne has finally cleared up and now you are looking for a way to deal with the scars it left behind on the delicate skin of your face. Dermatologists do recommend that you wait for the infection to be cleared before beginning working on the scars. But what to do about them?

Today, we will look at a number of options to get rid of acne scars and talk briefly about the effectiveness and side effects of each one. We’ll start with common home remedies and move on to typical dermatological solutions before talking about how CBD oil can help you with scars.

Treatments for Acne Scars

Lemon Juice Lemon juice contains alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) that can be helpful in fading acne marks, revitalizing skin and promoting healing. Squeeze the juice from a lemon into a bowl. If you have sensitive skin, add a little water. Use a cotton ball to dab the juice directly on the scars and let it dry. Rinse the dried lemon juice off with cool water then apply a moisturizer. Repeat the treatment every second or third day.

Lemon juice makes your skin very sensitive to UV radiation. Avoid sun exposure after using the lemon juice treatment. This treatment used over lengthy periods will also change the natural, protective pH of your skin.

Sugar Scrub Sugar contains glycolic acid, another AHA that can promote cell turnover and remove dead skin cells. Mix 2-parts sugar with 1-part olive oil and add a little lemon juice to make a workable scrub that is not too watery. Apply the scrub as a spot treatment to the scars and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Repeat every second or third day.

This method of treating acne scars can take months to begin working and should be avoided if you have an oily skin type. Exfoliation is the key to this treatment and that can be achieved in other ways.

Tea Tree Oil Tea tree oil is a common home remedy for acne scarring. It has a very earthy smell and you should be careful to ensure you purchase pure tea tree oil. Since it is unregulated, it may contain some contaminants or irritants. Test tea tree oil on an inconspicuous bit of skin before use on your face. To use simply rub a few drops of the oil into the scarred area twice a day.

This is most effective on hypertrophic (raised) scars and not other scarring. It can dry out and irritate skin when used regularly. Some users do not like the smell.

Salicylic Acid This is a common treatment for acne scarring on oily skin. It is an exfoliant that can remove redness and inflammation. Many acne medications contain salicylic acid. Most products containing salicylic acid do not contain the right amount of the acid or the right pH and can be damaging. It is not for all skin types and not meant to be a regular part of skin care routines. Once use is stopped, the acne can return.

Chemical Peels for ScarsChemical peels can help to treat deep acne scars. A TCA peel or phenol peel can help to resurface skin making the scars less noticeable. More than one treatment may be necessary or may need to be followed up with laser skin resurfacing to further fade your acne scars.

These treatments can cause redness, flaking, scaling and dryness. TCA can cause significant swelling as well and may require pain medication. Scabbing and crusting may take 10 days to heal. For phenol, this may take up to 14 days and the swelling can be more severe. It is also an expensive treatment which may not be accessible to everyone.

Skin Needling This treatment is also referred to as dermal rolling and helps stimulate collagen production in your skin which can help it look smoother. It can reduce acne scarring, dark spots and even out skin tone by reducing pigmentation. However, it won’t help with hypertrophic scars or deep scars. Again, it is an expensive treatment option.

There are a number of ways to get rid of acne scars that are more or less effective depending on the age of the scarring, its type and how deep or raised they are. Another choice which is now rapidly growing in popularity is CBD Oil, especially where the scars are fresh.

CBD Oil for Acne Scars

CBD is cannabidiol, one of a number of cannabinoids found in the Cannabis sativa plant that has demonstrated a great deal of health benefits in studies. It is not psychoactive and so cannot product the “high” or euphoric sensation that THC, another cannabinoid, does. It can be extracted from either the hemp or marijuana forms of the cannabis plant. CBD is now showing up in a number of skin care and beauty products including effective acne treatment products.

Cannabidiol works indirectly on the endocannabinoid system which is a part of the immune system. We have endocannabinoid receptors in most of our body’s tissues, including a large number in our skin. It is an anti-inflammatory and is also a powerful antioxidant, far more powerful than retinol.

One study from 2008 in PLOS showed that activation of the endocannabinoid system can ameliorate fibrosis (scar tissue) of the liver by reducing inflammation in the area, which inhibited growth of and decreased the project of collagen1 and AlphaSMA levels. Collagen is what helps to produce hypertrophic scarring.

Other studies have shown that CBD can have antiproliferative effects (it can minimize the spread of damaged cells) and promotes the regeneration of new skin cells. When a wound occurs (like an acne infection), your body’s immune system begins to produce collagen fibers to seal the wound and reduce the risk of infection.

An additional study indicated that CBD Oil can help to heal wounds in a significant way because it helps to regulate the production of collagen, allowing the wound to heal over slightly longer time frame but in a more orderly fashion.

CBD oil reduces the inflammation of acne, allowing the skin to begin healing and also regulates the production of collagen and is a powerful antioxidant, which allows the skin to heal in a smoother fashion. Use it as a spot treatment on scars to see improvement quickly.